A Change in Routine
by Lyon Falenas
Summary: It was always Lyon's duty to serve and protect the prince. Now recovering from Dolph's attack, she finds herself in a much different situation. PrinceLyon


_Disclaimer: Don't own anything relevant to Suikoden as that's Konami's oft forgotten series._

_Suikoden V spoilers anybody? If you haven't played it in its entirety then just avoid this. There are several references to major plot points in the game. Particularly concerning this relationship which is probably the closest Suikoden will ever get to a Tenkai star romance. And yes there will be more stories to come for this game considering dare I say this game has the best overall cast of characters of the games. There is no shortage of interesting characters to do side stories and interactions with. And that is not counting the other games in the series. For anybody who has not played it yet, go spend the money on it. _

_And this is very blatant Lyon/Prince shipper story. I feel it is a bit uneven and had been written quite some time ago without being posted. This was before the revealing of the Prince's name in the graphic novel anthologies/novel series that have been recently released in Japan, and frankly am a bit too lazy to revamp it entirely for what is an equally cool and awkward name. _

**A Change in Routine**

The sun had risen and the prince of Falena waited for the soft knocking that greeted him every morning. Despite it having become a standard routine, he never thought of Lyon's presence as an intrusion. It was her own duty as his sworn bodyguard but he genuinely looked forward to her greeting him each morning with a small smile and a weapon ready just in case.

On days like this, the occasion where he awoke before she had risen and greeted him, he simply remained in bed, thinking; he did a lot of that as of late. Never had he envisioned himself as a warrior much less a hero. The notion that he would fight in a war much less a civil war amongst his countrymen was inconceivable. However, each morning the sight of his room in a Sindarian fortress as opposed to he Sun Palace was proof that everything had indeed happened and he was not living a dream.

So thus he waited for the daily routine. He was familiar with it and it was one of the few things that remained of his past life. It was hard to believe that his aunt could betray both himself and Lymsleia. He had almost lost Lyon on that day as well. It had taken quite some time to adjust to not having her by his side every day. Instead he fell into a new habit of visiting her daily in the infirmary and updating her on battles as well as little details around the headquarters, whether she was awake or not.

Seemingly recovered, the two friends had gone back as though nothing had happened. Every so often there was a slight wince of pain that remained, yet he dared not bring up the subject as he knew she would deny any injury. He couldn't question her strength anyway. Lyon was without a doubt strong to a fault. It was what had landed her in such a predicament in the first place.

By now the sun was quite bright in the sky and there had still not been a word from Lyon. It was quite unusual for so much time to pass without her fetching him for the day. Pushing himself up from the warmth of his bed, he quickly smoothed the messy strands of hair that had yet to be braided for the day and searched with his feet for a pair of slippers.

The day was already in full swing as a number of people were already walking to and fro between the various floors and levels. One soldier in particular seemed quite lost and was asking another for directions to the pub. Several people noticed the prince and waved. The customary "Good morning, Prince" could be heard as he made his way to where Lyon typically slept.

It was with the softest of knocks that the prince dared to announce his presence. Placing an ear to the door, he could make out no signs of movement, no clunk of the armor Lyon made a habit of wearing from dawn to dusk. Grasping the handle, the door was pushed open, at first only a crack, continuing further after not hearing any signs of protest. The Prince had half expected the room to be empty, that Lyon had simply attended to other matters. Instead, she remained tucked in her bed, a comforter covering everything up to her shoulders.

Closing the door shut behind him, careful to not disturb the sleeping inhabitant, he made his way toward the bed. Kneeling next to her, he looked for any visible signs of illness or fever. Finding none, he placed his hand against Lyon's forehead to confirm it, brushing a few strands of shoulder length black hair away from her face. This action caused a slight stir.

The Prince had never known that Lyon took some time to fully wake. Typically it was she who roused him from his slumber each day. She gradually moved a bit, followed by some undecipherable groans before her eyes even began to flutter. The eyes seemed to remain unfocused for quite some time before they remained open and took in her surroundings.

"Prince?!" She exclaimed upon noticing her visitor, immediately forcing her body into a sitting position. Noticing the bright glint of sunlight entering the nearby window, it was immediately apparent what had happened. "I'm sorry, I didn't realize that I had slept in like this. I'll get ready right away…"

"It's okay Lyon," the prince interjected, "I just wanted to make sure you are okay, but if you're still tired just sleep in."

Not accepting the kind words, the knight apprentice shook her head and protested, "no, it is my duty to protect you. I can't do that laying in bed all day. What would Ferid think?"

"I don't believe that dad would have wanted you to push yourself. I can look after myself and if something happens, there's still Miakis, Galleon, Georg and Kyle. Not much has been planned for today anyway."

Without a word though, Lyon rose from the bed, the blankets that covered her falling from around her and revealing everything not covered by the thin undergarments she had worn to sleep. It was enough to cause the prince to blush profusely and politely turn his head, not wanting to give any indicator that he had seen anything. He had heard on occasion how many men in the castle thought the young protector was beautiful but never gave much attention. They had been together since childhood and thus it was hard for him to fully see her as a woman. Seeing the gentle curves of her body as he had, however, certainly did explain how she had charmed some of the men in their army.

The creaking of wooden drawers and the rustling of clothing indicated that she was attempting to get dressed. It was as though she did not realize that he was still in the room. In such a precarious position, the best he could manage was to stare at a vacant wall. Lyon had never been one for lavish decorations, always careful of seeming out of place in her position. It was a time like this where he had wished though that he had been able to convince her to allow him to put up at least one of the paintings he had come across. At least then it would seem less awkward than to stare at a blank wall.

It did not take long for a soft groan to force its way through Lyon's lips. The dawn rune had been able to work absolute wonders in her recovery, saving her from a certain death, but the recovery process was not complete. The prince could hear her quiet struggles with her injuries and he could not help but wonder if that was what every day was like. Certainly when in the infirmary, the old lady doctor most likely helped through those moments, but now with her injuries seemingly recovered she suffered alone.

A pain filled gasp sounded and the train of thought was broken. Without hesitation, the prince ignored his embarrassment to join her, noticing that the muscles in her back were struggling against the multiple layers of armor and clothing that comprised her outfit. Wordlessly, Lyon was led back to the bed, the attire forgotten for the time being as she lay down again.

It took a few moments before Lyon had recovered sufficiently to mutter a soft apology. It had been muffled against the pillow, yet it was obvious that this weakness was something she was struggling with. Unsure of what to do, the prince sat beside her, lightly fingering the scar that remained on her back, indicating where the sword had penetrated. "Is there something I can do to help?"

"Dr. Silva gave me a salve for the wound. It should be in the top drawer of the dresser. Can you get it so I can put some on?" She asked; her face still partially covered by the pillow, but more audible than before.

Finding the ointment took little effort and within a minute a small amount was removed and was being placed over the mostly healed wound. With the utmost care, the cream was smoothed until it seemed to disappear, his eyes averted from her bare skin toward her face, waiting for any sign of discomfort. Instead, Lyon appeared to relax a bit, her eyes appearing heavy and muscles releasing some of the tension she had held.

Having been given an idea, his hand wandered upward slightly, massaging the well toned muscles Lyon had developed over the years. It took no effort to find the kinks and knots which certainly had to be uncomfortable. He could make out several other faint scars that had healed over with time, perhaps from her time in Nether Gate.

Not being used to such attention, Lyon attempted to protest, "No, it's alright, you don't have to do this for me." However, she couldn't muster the voice nor will to argue further as a particularly sore spot was reached.

"Does it feel good?"

The girl nodded and let out a slight groan, very plainly enjoying the action. "It's wonderful. I just don't want you to trouble yourself. I'm really fine."

Such a response was not unexpected. Always willing to do so much, she refused to accept anything in return. The prince had learned when he was very young that Lyon could at times be stubborn to a fault, usually when it involved herself. Not wanting to spoil the moment, he simply replied, "I know. Just don't overdo things all the time. Let me do things for you once in awhile."

Neither said a word to the other for the next few minutes as the prince finished his backrub. As he finished, He turned Lyon onto her back, unable to hold back the blush as he had forgotten that having a bare back often meant the same for the front. He had expected a scream for such a deplorable action or at the very least some form of protest. There was none. Coming back to his senses, the prince reached for the blankets and pulled then back over his bodyguard. "Just stay in bed and rest today. We'll break the normal routine for once," he said, smiling brightly.

"No… If something happened to you… I can't take that risk."

Prepared for such a reply, the prince quickly remarked, "then I will stay with you today. I'll get some breakfast for us from Retso and take the day off. Besides, I think I have some blisters from walking too much. A day off would be nice for both of us."

Finally accepting the compromise, Lyon said, "Okay. You can tell me about everything I missed while I was hurt. Dr. Silva wouldn't tell me much because she thought I would try to sneak out and join in."

"You would have," he said, rising from the bed, and placing a quick peck of a kiss along Lyon's forehead. She was as much of a sister to him as Lym, and it was important that she knew it. There was more to her than being a mere bodyguard who lived her days for the same routine. "I'll be back soon. Just don't try to get up." It was selfish to expect her to always be strong for his sake. He needed to break that routine if only once in awhile for her sake.

The young girl obeyed and waited in bed, cautious not to move excessively. Taking note of her state of near complete undress, she attempted to reach for the comforter near her feet as a means of covering herself. Lacking the energy to sit up, it was quickly disregarded. It wasn't as though Lyon had an aversion to the Prince seeing her body. If there was one person she felt safe and comfortable with it was him. Unlike Roy or the other men who threw looks and catcalls at her, she knew that the prince was a kind person and would never take advantage.

Lyon was not sure how she felt. For the longest time she had felt an obligation to Ferid to protect his only son. It was a repayment for his saving her from what would have been a meaningless fate. However, now she honored her oath for the prince's sake above all else. While she would protect any member of the Falenas family, she knew that for the prince she would do anything.

It didn't take long before the prince returned, balancing a tray of food as he fumbled with the door. Finding a small end table next to her bed he set the food down before turning to his companion. Seeing her laying down, he put his arms around her as he propped her up against his chest.

Lyon didn't know what she was feeling, but it seemed as though her heart was racing. It seemed to do that round the Prince from time to time, yet it seemed to magnify tenfold with him so close. It didn't make sense to her. "Lyon? Lyon? I'm not hurting you am I?" 

It took a moment for her to be snapped from the rush of emotions and to be able to reply. "Oh, sorry. I'm just a bit worn out still. But the food smells really good."

Reaching beside him for the pillows, the prince brought them behind Lyon, using them to lean her against the head of the bed while he reached for the plates. Handing a plate to her, he then took his own plate, immediately taking large bites.

Lyon was slower to react with her food, taking the fork in her hand and picking at the various items slowly. It was simply her way to doing things but she knew better than to scold the Prince for his table manners undoubtedly inherited from his father. She had done so at one point, but learned that it was a futile attempt.

Sometimes she wondered how many people saw that side of the prince; the imperfect side that could be sloppy or whose eyes would trail the skimpily dressed female mage whenever they crossed paths. To everyone else he was a prince and the leader of the military. Yet, the fact remained that he was not yet a fifteen year old boy. She could only imagine how difficult it was for him to put up the perfect façade for so much of the day. So thus she couldn't help but smirk at the way he devoured his meal.

By the time he had finished his plate, Lyon was feeling quite full having had about half of the contents eaten. Placing the fork by her side, she noticed the look of concern and responded before he could say anything, "I'm just full. You got way too much food you know."

"Okay…" he said, taking her plate and placing it on top of his empty one before setting both on the tray he had brought in initially. "Is there anything you want to do today?... and not training!" The prince said, knowing to add that last restriction as it was the most likely response.

Lyon wasn't sure. She wanted to train so she could get up to speed, but knew that that would not be an option and even if she wasn't going to be restricted, she was still sore enough where she wasn't able to do anything heavy anyway. "I don't know. I think maybe a walk later would be nice. I'd love to see the Dragon Horses up close."

"That's right you have been in bed." The prince said, realizing that there were a number of people who had joined their cause against the Godwins that she had yet to aquaint herself with. "I guess we could do that a bit later."

"How much did I miss?" Lyon asked, "I've been worried every day. I hear people going in and out and Dr. Silva has had a lot of patients lately. I keep thinking that you'd come back hurt…"

The girl was on the verge of tears. The Prince did feel bad about leaving her behind but he couldn't help but wonder how she could be so concerned about him when it was she who needed to get better, "I'm fine. You know I can take care of myself. If anything everyone should be worried about you! Do you realize how awful it was when you were hurt? They thought you would…"

"But I didn't." Lyon protested, forcing herself to sit up, "I'm better now. And besides, it's my duty to protect you."

Before Lyon could finish, the Prince had taken her into his arms, gently holding her and placing a soft kiss on her forehead. "Don't. I lost my parents already. I don't want to lose you. You and Lym are my only family now." His head ducked down slightly, his arms never leaving her body and he kissed her again, this time a soft peck of the lips. 

"But… this isn't right." Lyon protested, knowing the weight of this situation, "you're a prince… I'm…"

"I don't care. What else is there? Marry to some senator's daughter? Or a daughter of an aristocrat in some foreign place like Harmonia or Tinto?" The prince said, tones of both anger and defeat sounding in his voice. He wasn't accustomed to voicing his own wants and needs so blatantly. "I care about you! If I cared what the rest of the aristocrats like Barrows and Godwin thought then I wouldn't fight."

A slight blush across her face, the girl, buried her head into the prince's chest, holding him in an embrace. Even if it was supposed to be wrong, it did feel right to be like this. Even if she protested, she knew that she couldn't imagine not being by his side. They remained in an embrace for quite some time, her stroking the long braid of his silver hair and he trailing his fingers softly on her still bare back.

Eventually they both collapsed together on the bed, laying next to one another, Lyon yawning in exhaustion. "I guess I'm still sleepy."

Smiling, the Prince reached for the comforter, pulling it over the both of them and quickly draping an arm around her. "Take a nap then. You are not going anywhere today. When you wake up we can go see the dragon horses."

Mumbling in her exhaustion, Lyon smiled, "That would be nice."

Once she was asleep, the Prince looked at her sleeping face, marveling at just how relaxed she seemed when she was asleep, very much unlike when she had been stabbed by Dolph when he had nearly rescued Lymsleia. Never again would he let her suffer such a fate. As much as she tried to be strong, he wanted to protect her for once. He would protect tnot just her but Lym as well. He didn't want to ever lose any more important people in his life, at least not for a long time.


End file.
